SPECIAL TELEGRAMS (Per Anglo-Australian Telegraph Agency.) Wellington, Wednesday. (From the Daily Southern Cross). Wellington, Tuesday.

Waikato Times, Volume VIII, Issue 416, 14 January 1875, Page 2

SPECIAL TELEGRAMS

(Per Anglo-Australian Telegraph Agency.) Wellington, Wednesday.

(From the Daily Southern Cross). Wellington, Tuesday.

The Wellington College has been made the centre for matriculation examinations for Cambridge University. Arrangements are being made to arrange for men who have matriculated being eligible for Civil Service without further examination. Auckland, Wednesday. The New Zealand Insurance Company's meeting was held to-day. The report showed profits for the half-year of £38,935, a dividend at the rate of 20 per cent per annum was declared. A Norwegian lad, working in Lamb's mill at Riverhead, has had the flesh torn off his arm by the dough rollers. Amputation will be necessary.

The following are the names of persons mentioned in the Coepatriek's passenger list, but who did not sail . — Families : William, Elizabeth, Mary, J., and Koberfc Andrews White ; Charlotte, Stephen, Frederick, and Mary Welch. Single women on the list, but no; Bailed : — Eliza Wever, Honora Taugney, Susannah Premlier, and W. A. Trollope . Names of those who sailed, but are not set down on the list : --Jane, Susan, Eliza, Francis, and Richard Trevenna; Amejia Welch, Charlotte and Mary Williams. The New Zealand Times while making long quotation! from Mr Munros late speech, at Marsden, compares him to a political Moses, who can cleave a safe path through the sea of difficulties which surrounds the question of constitutional reform. Colonel Fielding, the chief promoter of the Fielding Block, is expected in Wellington in a few days. The Superintendent and Provincial Secretary, proceed to Wairarapa to-morrow, to open T« Oreore Bridge. Thera will be a luncheon and ball. The Cooperative Baking Company recently started, is in process of liquidation!

Nelson, Tuesday. Mr Dobson has resigned the offioe of Mayor, on the ground that he does not receive the support of the Council. The National Insurance Company has been mulct in the sum of £400 and interest in defending tbe action Wymoud v. the National Insurance Company. The question at issue was, whether a risk had been transferred from Wymond'a shop, which was burned down, to his private dwelling. — Verdict for plaintiff for amount claimed.

Hokitika, Tuesday. Gl-old to the value of £79,000 has been shipped hence during the past week. The Otago took 14,7520z, and the Tararua will take 5000 more.

Chrietchurch, TuescUy. At the inquest on the bodo of the murdered girl, yesterday, the evidence against Mercer was exceedingly strong. The Star's correspondent supplies the follewing particulars re the Christchurch murder. The Agency's representative deemed the matter too trivial to supply us with any partiulars :- -" Another man, named John Mercer, was arrested yesterday morning on suspicion of being the murderer of the girl Isabella Thompson. He arrived per Wild Wave from Auckland, and shipped as cook on board the Cleopatra. He has been engaged as cook and steward on aeveral coasting craft, and was discharged from the schooner Canterbury on Saturday, but was recommended by the captain to Captain OBrien, of the Cleopatra. When he went off to fetch his clothes from the Canterbury he appeared to be in a very excited state, and threw overboard a quantity of sihp's stores and other articles. Mercer went ashore from the Cleopatra not later than 5 o'clock in the evening, and did not return till 10 o'clock on Sunday morning. He was arrested by a detective on Monday morning at 6 o'eluek, on a charge of wilfully destroying property on the schooner Cant cilviry, and on searching his swag a pair of blood-stain, I Uousers were found, also a jacket in the came cond'tjou ile explained this circumstance by saying that ho L.u l Lillet a sheep at Wellington. Further examination shewed his hands to be full of gorse thorns. Some of these were extracted and will be examined under a microscope and compared with thorns from the gorse bush in which the body of the unfortunate murdered girl was found. There are no signs of violation on the body of the girl. Mercer is reported to haTe escaped fi om the Bi'ller being wanted there on a charge of indecent a&sault on a little girl. The post mortem on the murdered girl was held at tho Morgue, by Drs Rouse and Ma^onald, whose evidence was taken at the inquest yesterday after« noon, which is not yet concluded, but was a Ijourned till the 19th inftmt. Captain Russell of the schooner Canterbury gave eudencp that ho saw Mercer in company with a httlo giil at shortly after 5 pm. on Saturday. He identified the body of the girl <ib the one he saw with the accused. Jiimea Allen, mate of the aanie vessel, gave simil»r evidence,

and stated that he saw Mercer a fqw minatoi before the six-o'olook train started for Chriitohurcn, and particularly noticed him, m bo seemed exciterl, and kept his coat buttoned up, and bis hands in big pockets. The thorns extraoten from the prisoner*! knees and hands were proved to be gone thorns. Mercer seems quite callous. He ex* plaids the thorns by saying he had pimples on his knses and hands. The mm Osborne, who was arrested yesterday, has been discharged, as the police are confident they have now. got the real .offender in Mercer. Osborne had not beta convicted of rape, but /or indecent exposure"